Assistant Manager jobs in Newcastle upon Tyne

We are seeking to appoint an innovative and dynamic Personal Assistant to the Head who also is the Senior Office Manager.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Reporting directly to the Head, the duties and responsibilities of the Head’s Assistant include (but are not limited to):

Administration and Support

· Act as the first point of contact for the Head, exercising sound judgment in handling enquiries and providing a professional and welcoming service to staff, parents, pupils, alumni, Governors and external stakeholders.

· Manage calls, emails and visitors appropriately whether they are responding or redirecting enquiries. Escalate issues requiring further action or decision-making and follow up proactively in a timely manner.

· Prepare briefing papers and meeting documentation and draft correspondence on behalf of the Head. Take responsibility for the preparation and compilation of formal correspondence, reports, email, mail merges, spreadsheets and databases in support of the Head. Thoroughly proofread all formal correspondence.

· Manage and maintain the Head’s diary, prioritising between a wide range of commitments and resolving scheduling conflicts. Ensure all relevant events requiring the Head’s attendance are accurately recorded and preparation time identified.

· Provide daily briefings to the Head on key activities, upcoming commitments and priority issues.

· Proactively organise meetings and calls on behalf of the Head with staff, parents, pupils, alumni and external stakeholders.

· Book appointments, organise meetings and arrange refreshments, organise agendas and papers in advance and welcome visitors.

· Communicate with teachers, heads of faculty, administrative and other operational staff on behalf of the Head requesting information, making appointments, giving information.

· Take accurate minutes where required, and track, update and monitor follow-up actions to ensure completion.

· Provide support to the Head with policy updates and review as appropriate.

· Organise the process for appointment of staff and assist with the safeguarding checks

Office Management

· Act as a senior member of the Administration team.

· Promote effective communication and collaboration across support teams.

· Develop, maintain and continuously improve office systems and administrative processes ensuring effective management of data and records.

· Maintain accurate records in compliance with Data Protection and GDPR requirement.

· Securely archive and retrieve confidential documentation including safeguarding and child protection, ensuring information is accessible to the Head and other authorised names person.

· Undertake project work and additional duties as directed by the Head.

Wider Leadership and School Support

· Work closely with key members of Westfield and RGS staff

· Assist with annual staff salary letter production.

· Assist with inspections, official visits and major school events.

· Organise and compile guest lists for events hosted by the Head including invitations, event communications and mailing lists.

· Assist with the organisation of school events such as Open Mornings, Prizegivings, Carol Services.

Safeguarding

· To demonstrate a personal commitment to safeguarding pupils and colleagues’ wellbeing.

· To ensure any safeguarding concerns or incidents are reported appropriately and in line with Westfield safeguarding policies.

· To comply with all safeguarding policies and procedures and the Westfield Staff Code.

Other

· Participate in training and other learning activities as required and participate in appraisal and professional development.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

The Personal Assistant to the Head and Office Manager should demonstrate the following experience, qualifications/skills and qualities:

Essential

· Demonstrable experience as a Personal Assistant.

· Ability to prioritise competing demands effectively and efficiently, completing high volumes of workload as and when demands require.  

· Ability to communicate effectively and professionally on the phone and in person when engaging in all aspects of school life 

· High level of numeracy and literacy with well-developed written and verbal communication skills, and strong attention to detail.  

· Ability to build and maintain effective relationships, understanding the need to act with discretion and carefully manage sensitive information, maintaining confidentiality at all times. 

· Being aware of and complying with policies and procedures relating to child protection, Health and Safety and security, confidentiality and data protection 

· Have a good working knowledge of relevant school databases and software such as ISAMS, Office 365 including use of Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Microsoft Teams and OneNote, etc   

· Availability out of hours is required when special circumstances apply e.g. ISI inspection preparation and attendance at some formal school events. 

Desirable

· Previous experience working in an educational environment.

PERSONAL QUALITIES

Core Qualities and Values

· Highly organised and professional at all times  

· Excellent interpersonal skills with positive approach and can-do attitude.  

· Highly flexible and proactive, solving problems creatively and showing initiative and common sense 

· Ability to work quickly and calmly under pressure, showing resilience in dealing with deadlines and priorities in a busy school environment.  

· Tact and discretion along with personal presence, patience, sensitivity and maturity of approach; 

· Punctual, reliable and trustworthy 

· Self-motivated with the ability to multi-task 

· High level of trustworthiness and able to work under pressure in a busy environment

Pay: £29,000.00-£32,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Free parking
• On-site parking

Work Location: In person